Adventure Rider Radio motorcycle podcast - The voice of moto travel, is motorcycle adventure travel around the world. Experienced moto travellers and industry motorbike pros with tech tips, instruction and stories of adventure motorcycling with host, Jim Martin on the most popular adv rider podcast in the world.
Every Thursday a new episode brings motorbike travel stories and information for all motorbike enthusiasts. Inspirational, motivating and educational.

Journey to the End of the World - Expedition 65

If a little is good wouldn’t a lot be better? When a group of experienced travellers plan a trip from Cartegena to Ushuaia they made sure they had fully equipped bikes, an extensive support system and contact network, even a support van and trailer equipped with a generator to charge accessories.

As the story goes, Jim Hyde, of RawHyde Adventures had an epiphany while guiding a trip in South America. He was stopped with his group of clients with only about 30 minutes to spare before rushing off to their evening destination. While the clients busied themselves with various selfies and bike shots, Jim realized that when he visits these incredible world destinations, he is almost always on a tight schedule, with minutes to soak up this world class sight and move on. It hit him there and then that he needed to do a trip, where there was more time for places like these along the way. So he came up with an idea to run an expedition where a group of riders would all pitch in to organize and do a trip the length of South America.

A dozen riders were hand picked for the adventure, and the group went about planning and organizing a trip they would call Expedition 65. It was to be an adventure unlike a guided trip, where the riders are a team of like minded individuals that work together.

With all these people planning and organizing you could be forgiven for imagining that it all worked and the trip went off without a hitch, but of course it didn’t happen that way. Problems with overloading, breakdowns, missing paperwork for border crossings, an overloaded support van incapable of carrying a broken bike and disagreements over the arduous and time consuming effort of making a film of the trip added challenges to the trip.

In the end, the trials and tribulations fade, friendships were solidified, comfort zones were expanded, a movie was made and an incredible coffee table book was produced showcasing the adventure day by day…

When it comes to planning, due diligence is expected, but is meticulous planning better or a problem in itself?

Colin Evans: Author of Journey to the End of the World

"Though he may have come late to biking, Colin Evans has fallen hard for it, with an enviable collection of iconic sportbikes and a very worn-out BMW R1200GS to show for it. He has ridden and written about his adventures on four continents to entertain and annoy his friends (colindotpdx.tumblr.com) and currently resides in Portland with his wife Rosine and daughter Claire." ~~ Octane Press

Alfonse Palaima: Journey to the End of the World Photographer

"When he's not in Los Angeles hiding from society, Alfonse is collecting passport stamps. Photography and travel are his biggest passions, and motorcycles always get him to the next location. Rounding the world one region at a time, Alfonse has racked up hundreds of bylines while crossing 23 countries and six continents as an industry journalist with 14 years under his belt. Follow his journeys at MotoInsider.com or at Octane Press." ~~ Octane Press

Journey to the End of the World: The Expedition 65 Adventure Motorcycle Ride from Colombia to Ushuaia is available from Octane Press or anywhere books are sold.

If you're travelling to or live in the United States, and you're looking for a long distance motorcycle adventure utilizing mainly back roads and trails, the Trans-America Trail may be just what you're looking for.

On the website, it says that dual-sport motorcycle is required for the more challenging sections, and the best time to do the entire trail is probably late June in to early September, to avoid snow in some of the states. The TAT maps and roll charts have been designed to ride only from East to West, no matter where your starting point is. Fuel stops are fairly regular, motel locations are marked on the maps, and if you're camping you might want to do your research ahead of time if using a roll chart, as they're not marked on there. A GPS is not required to do the TAT, as the roll chart is used with your odometer, but the GPS is a great back up.

Make sure you plan well in advance, as you'll have to purchase your maps and roll charts on the TAT website, and allow enough time for delivery. While waiting for it all to arrive, you can start packing and making travel arrangements.

In this week's episode we talk to British rally racer, Jenny Morgan and Brad Barker, from The Ride of my Life. Jenny rode the TAT a couple of times, first on a Yamaha Tenere 660 and then the CBX500 with the Rally Raid package. When we spoke to Brad, he was riding the TAT and offering a challenge to The Ride of My Life followers, which include some prizes.

Jenny Morgan:

Jenny Morgan is a British rally racer who rode the Trans America Trail (TAT) on a 50 day trip, covering more than 12,000 miles from the west to east coast and back again on the Trans-America Trail.Website:www.jennydakar.comADV Rider Forum: http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/trans-am-500-the-seven-year-itch.1061450/

Brad Barker:

Brad Barker is the producer of The Ride of My Life YouTube videos and website, with the goal of discovering the good stuff, exploring and riding to different places in the world, and to impact lives in a positive way. Website:www.therideofmylife.net

Beth and Kevin Young, 2uptogether, are so passionate about sharing adventures with each other that they ride 2 up, even in the dirt. The've been riding for 19 years, and are advocates for short adventures, close to home. Saying that motorcycle riding has made them closer, Beth & Kevin share their experiences with photographs on social media, hoping to inspire other couples to ride together.

Rider Skills with Bret Tkacs

Skills Development Activity: Threshold braking

The average experienced rider with or without training stops around at about 70% of the capability of his/her motorcycle and roughly 30% further than the average car. Since most training standards are nearly 40% below the motorcycles capability attending traditional rider training does not help you reach the maximum braking capability your motorcycle offers. The numbers I have put on the chart below are rounded off to make things simple and are not exact. During guided training your speed should be measured with radar and then adjustments made for brake application. However in the absence of a school like this in your area this will give you a much better estimate of your ability than the scoring you may have received during any conventional motorcycle training using stopwatch/distance standards.

Bret Tkacs~ Motorcycle Skills Expert

Setup:

1. Mark off a braking area up to 50’ (15 meters) with chalk on good asphalt or pavement. 2. Make your “begin braking here” point with an easy to see marker such as a bottle or large cone. 3. Check your speedometer accuracy against a GPS or phone app (speedometers or commonly 10% optimistic on speed giving you the impression you stop better than you do) 4. Practice steady approach speeds (each speed on the chart. 5. Have a fellow rider observe you as you practice braking at your “begin braking here” point to ensure you do not begin slowing or braking early.

The Drill:

1. Approach the “begin braking here” point at the speed on the chart, do not slow or brake before the point. 2. When the markers disappear from your peripheral view then begin braking stopping in the shortest distance you safety can. 3. Put down your side stand and take the distance to the leading edge of your tire and compare it against the chart. 4. Do not move up to the next speed until you are relaxed and consistent at the lower speeds. 5. To get a truly accurate measure or to safely learn to brake from speeds higher the listed below it is recommended to work with professional instructors training in this type of skill development such as Puget Sound Safety’s; Advanced Street Skills program (pssnw.com)

In Association With:

What's your preference? A motorcycle GPS or smartphone APP? Perhaps you're someone who still likes traditional paper maps. We've talked to Cesar Palacios from Garmin, Guido van Eijsden, APP developer of Scenic and Sam Manicom, world moto traveler, adventurer and author, and got some great information to help you make an informed decision.

Don’t modify anything on your bike until you consider this…

Industry expert Warren Milner is an adventure rider, writer and worked at Honda Canada for 30 years, working closely with product planning and R&D developing new models. In this week’s episode Jim and Warren Milner discuss how information on the internet may incorrectly encourage or influence your decisions when it comes to motorcycle modifications.

Rider Skills

Energy conservation:

Realization… just participated in the butt stomper 24 hr race and was brutally reminded of the value of energy conservation.

There are many possible causes for why your motorcycle is vibrating, and David Hough, author of Proficient Motorcycling, and Walt Fulton join Jim Martin to offer their knowledge and experience with vibration issues.

David L. Hough: David has been riding motorcycles for more than 50 years. He's travelled extensively by motorcycles in North & South America, central Europe, the UK, South Africa and New Zealand. While employed at The Boeing Company in Seattle for more than 36 years, he mostly commuted to work by motorcycle. Combining his travel and commuting experience, he became a highly skilled rider and continues to share his knowledge through various magazine publications and several books, including Proficient Motorcycling.

David is a certified motorcycle safety instructor and has taught motorcycle training courses. He's been an influence in the development of courses by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and the Sidecar/Trike Education Program.

An award winning author, David L. Hough was inducted in to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2009 in recognition of his lifetime efforts towards motorcycle safety.

"A former three-time winner at Daytona and team racer for Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki and Suzuki, he was a featured rider in the documentary "On Any Sunday." He is a BMW Legends racer, a professional motorcycle accident reconstruction expert, motorcycle journalist and a private riding instructor. He has worked as an editor for Cycle Guide, Cycle World and Motorcyclist magazines and a contributor and the performance tester for Motorcycle Consumer News. He has logged over a million miles on the road and track." ~~Source: http://www.streetmasters.info/about_us/index.html

Show Sponsors:

When Ginamarie Austin tired of looking at the back of her husband on a bike, she decided to get her own bike. Being of small stature, they settled on a TW200 and both Ginamarie and her husband Russ fell in love with these bikes and soon became part of a community of TW200 riders, going on short adventures. After a couple of years of health related family commitments, Ginamarie and Russ went on a trip on their TW200's, enjoying back road riding and adventure travel at a slower pace than the big bikes, a well deserved holiday. On returning from their trip, both Gina and Russ were ill, Gina recovered but when Russ didn't it was discovered that he had Stage IV lung cancer. Russ asked Ginamarie to fulfill their dreams of an extended motorcycle trip, something they had been planning to do on retirement.

In a matter of weeks, Ginamarie lost Russ to cancer. She tells an inspiring story of her commitment to Russ, reminding us of the things that really matter. Her motorcycle adventure, which she planned for herself and to honour her husband's memory, turned out to be something altogether different than what she thought it would be.

Show Sponsors

Tips and information on everything you need to know for equipping your motorcycle with brighter lights. Choosing either quality auxiliary lights or DOT approved headlamps for your motorcycle can make an incredible difference when you need extra lighting. What is the difference between a high quality and low quality LED light? Find out this and more on this episode.

Ask any one who rides a dual sport, touring bike, street bike, or what have you, and there is nothing that clears the mind, relieves stress, and makes them feel good more than just riding their bike.

Combine riding with travel, be it a day, weekend, month or year and we hear stories about how riding has changed the way people think.

We’ve heard from riders who have had a love of travel instilled in them and when they discovered motorcycles and combined the two, a whole new world opened up for them. Through travel we are given opportunities to experience different cultures, people, and places. Riding a motorcycle to get to these places makes us more vulnerable, we’re easily seen and we are a curiosity. The motorcycles are avenues for people to talk to us, ask questions, for us to get to know the real people of different places.

Mixing travel with motorcycles offers a truly unique experience, not comparable to any other kind of exploration. It can change the way you think about yourself, others and life.

In this episode we talked to an Australian in Canada, Glen Baker, whose adventure motorcycles have included a moped, KLR and now a Triumph street bike. And JJ Lewis gives some tips on riding in the Copper Canyon.

Glen Baker: West Coast Wanderer

Glen Baker is from West Australia and now lives in Revelstoke, British Columbia in Canada. He's been doing adventure trips for the last 10 years, and in 2013 he gave up his job as an electrician, and left on a trip around the world. He fell in love with British Columbia and decided to make Revelstoke his home. Moto travel has become somewhat of an obsession with Glen, but the rewards have been tremendous. He says ask what he was like before he discovered moto travel compared to what he's like now, and you will hear he's a changed person. He's overcome some hardships, and plans to make moto travel his life, once he's cut through some red tape in Canada.

Copper Canyon: JJ Lewis

JJ Lewis from the Good Adventure Company runs tours with the proceeds towards charity in the Copper Canyon. He shares some tips on riding in the Copper Canyon with our listeners. Learn about the Good Adventure Company and what they have to offer at www.good-adv.com. They've got some great trips coming up this summer and autumn which just might be the adventure you are looking for.

What Inspires a Motorcycle Adventure Traveler and Author?

Graham Field is a household name if you're in to adventure motorcycling, the author of three books, a world traveler and a co-host on ARR RAW. He's been the inspiration for many riders, who have read his books, and have been motivated to set out on their own adventures, wherever and for however long they may be. So, when Graham Field messages Jim and says he knows this couple, who just happen to be in Bulgaria staying down the road from him, that he finds inspiring, we were intrigued. We just had to 'meet' this couple and find out their story. Find out what inspires the inspiring.

Icy Cold Honeymoon Adventure: Jan & Silke Neumann

Not just any honeymoon would do for Jan & Silke, who met through their motorcycle riding adventures. Who wants to lay on the beach in the hot sun when you can ride in -35°C in a snowstorm, on two old Suzuki bikes, to the North Cape in Norway?

Jan & Silke call themselves an "adventure-loving, offroad passionate, travel addicted couple". They've both travelled extensively on their motorcycles and eventually got together and continue their adventures together. Their ride to the North Cape, commonly known as the most northerly point in Europe, certainly ranks as one of the most unusual motorcycle honeymoons.

Brent Carroll: Read a Facebook Post, Bought a Motorcycle, Attended a HUBB Meet & Went on an Adventure

Inspired by a Facebook post, Brent Carroll decided to get a motorcycle to do some adventure riding. After going to a Horizons Unlimited meet he was hooked on the idea of a long distance motorcycle trip, having met other riders who were travelling and exploring the world. In April, 2016 he set out from Virginia to Newfoundland, rode across Canada to Alaska and then down to Ushuaia. Being on the road for 13 months was a life changing experience for Brent, who came away with some valuable lessons learned that he has shared through video and on his website, and now with us.

Rider Skills: Instructor Bret Tkacs on Starting on a Hill

Some methods right out of the PSSOR school book on getting started on a hill on your motorcycle. Whether it's gravel, mud or asphalt. There's a simple combination that will make this usually difficult task, a breeze.

Riding in the Heat and Cold Weather Motorcycle Riding Tips

Grant Johnson: Tips For Riding When the Heat is On

Grant's vast background includes being a motorcycle mechanic and dealer, as well as co-owner of Horizons Unlimited with his wife, Susan Johnson. Grant has given many talks around the world as part of the HUBB presentations. He's also a co-host on ARR RAW: www.adventureriderradio.com/raw Horizons Unlimited: www.horizonsunlimited.com

Sjaak Lucassen: Tips For Cold Weather Riding

Sjaak Lucassen is a Dutch long distance motorcycle rider, adventurer and author. He's no stranger to winter riding and has some great tips to share.http://www.sjaaklucassen.nl/en/

In this first part of a two part series, we talk to David Hough about riding in high winds and Grant Johnson about rainy weather riding. Also, Chantal Simons has done long distance trips on both a Ducati Monster and a Chook Chaser? And what she's learned is that asking yourself the right questions when faced with a hurdle is what can make the difference in how your trip turns out.

David Hough: Riding in High Winds

David is a certified motorcycle safety instructor and has taught motorcycle training courses. He's been an influence in the development of courses by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and the Sidecar/Trike Education Program. An award winning author, David L. Hough was inducted in to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2009 in recognition of his lifetime efforts towards motorcycle safety. David is the author of Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well and other books about safety and riding techniques. His books are available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/David-L.-Hough/e/B001JOWE2I.

Grant Johnson: Rainy Weather Riding

Grant's vast background includes being a motorcycle mechanic and dealer, as well as co-owner of Horizons Unlimited with his wife, Susan Johnson. Grant has given many talks around the world as part of the HUBB presentations. He's also a co-host on ARR RAW: www.adventureriderradio.com/rawHorizons Unlimited:www.horizonsunlimited.com

Chantal Simons: Chick on a Chook Chaser

Chantal Simons has ridden motorcycles in Asia, Europe and Australia. It was the trip around Australia that inspired her to write a book called She'll be right! Tales and Thoughts of a Women's Motorcycle Adventure Down Under. Chantal says that the reason she wrote the book was:

"to show it isn't hard to do a trip like this. Some people think you have to be some super hero to travel long distances on a motorbike. But really you just need the will to go and a decent amount of common sense."

The Simpson Desert is Australia's fourth largest desert and the largest sand dune desert in the world, containing the world's longest parallel sand dunes. On the western side of the desert, these dunes are as high as 3 metres, and on the eastern side as much as about 30 metres. The desert has no maintained roads, but there are tracks which were made in the 60's and 70's when surveys were done in the search for oil and gas. The tracks are navigable by four wheel drive, but without any services, extra fuel and water are necessary. It's very hot with summer temperatures reaching up to 50 Celsius. It doesn't rain often and sand storms happen regularly. The desert dunes are a cornucopia of colour, with oranges, pinks, reds and whites on brilliant display. The first non-indigenous person to cross the desert did so on camels in 1936 and there have since been several crossings made on foot. It's inviting and terrifying all at the same time, and is compelling to adventurous motorcyclists, some who have made it across the desert successfully and some who haven't been so lucky and have needed rescue.

Stuart Ball is the founder of The Great Australian Ride, raising money for a charity called Red Nose. He recently completed two crossings of the Simpson Desert in one week.Sarah Taylor is a motorcyclist and paramedic, and a team medic for The Great Australian Ride. Sarah also recently rode through the Simpson Desert.

Fear of travelling to some countries is instilled in us by the media, or people who haven't been but have heard about these places. Are we missing out on discovering different cultures and people because of these fears? Perhaps riding out of our comfort zone and in to these places will make us see things differently and change the way we think.

Lois Pryce: Revolutionary Road: On the Road in Search of the Real Iran

Intrigued by a note left on her motorcycle, Lois Pryce went on a 3000 mile ride in Iran on a quest to discover what the country and it's people were really like. Lois has been on many motorcycle trips, but she says this one is the one that has affected her most profoundly. In a country where women on motorcycles is not allowed by law, she found the people warm, kind and hospitable, and she fell in love with Iran.

Rosie Gabrielle: Solo Ride in Oman

Rosie Gabrielle is a photographer and an adventure traveller, and she is passionate about embracing all life has to offer and living life to the fullest. She hopes to show people that there is a lot of good in the world, that media hype doesn't always portray people from other countries in the true sense of who they really are. She's travelled to some exotic places, including Thailand and South Africa, and has also done two trips to Oman, which she says was life-changing. In the Middle East she found that the fears that are implanted in us are generally unfounded, that the people were helpful and caring. Doors were opened and friends were made and the kindness was overwhelming.